Tokyo International University

Today was the closing ceremony for the Japan Studies Program.  I was able to sort out my end of the Sophie business, so I'm feeling great and was able to enjoy my last day as a student here.  My host family also bought me a yukata to wear to it, so that's what I did.  Pictures later.

The ceremony was very Japanese in that the president of the university spoke for a long time and there was a lot of formality, but the taiko club performed and broke up the monotony.  Taiko drums are those really loud ones they use a lot over here at festivals.



After the ceremony I went home quickly to change clothes, because I'm not comfortable in a yukata no matter how much cooler it was to wear.  While I was still at school, Cermet and Anita walked by and we took a nice picture.  Anita only visited for a week, but I'll miss her and Cermet a great deal.

After the school sort of cleared out, we all went down to the river and just... did this for hours.  It was wonderful.  I got to say goodbye to many of the people I've met, and overall we had a good time.

There were some pretty good fireworks once it got dark, too.

After that, Yukiko, Makky, and Taishi wanted to go to karaoke, so Wesley and I went with them.  Our room was really small, but that's always okay.

I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to Yukiko as well as I'd have liked, because she had to hurry and catch the last train home.  This may be for the best, because I absolutely would have lost it.  You know how in the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy says she'll miss the Scarecrow most of all?  I'll miss my other good friends just as much, but Yukiko was the first one I made here.

I've been collecting pictures of all my friends/friend-type people, and those will be going up at some point.

Don't make me go home, please.